The Denver Broncos are back in camp, with rookies reporting on July 22 and veterans set to join on July 28, and there’s a bigger-picture angle worth watching as the 2026 season approaches: several familiar names could be chasing their first Pro Bowl selection.
That kind of recognition is never the whole story in the NFL, but it still matters. When a team keeps stacking wins the way Denver has over the past two seasons, the individual honors tend to follow. The Broncos have already seen that happen, and if 2026 unfolds the way many expect, a few more first-time Pro Bowlers could be on the way.
Jaylen Waddle is the easiest place to start. Through five seasons, he has already put together three 1,000-yard years and topped 5,000 career receiving yards, which makes the fact that he still hasn’t made a Pro Bowl feel a little strange.
His best stretch came in 2022, when he caught 75 passes for 1,356 yards and eight touchdowns. He also led the NFL with 18.1 yards per reception that season, which makes the Pro Bowl omission look even more glaring.
Now he’s in what appears to be the most talented offense he’s ever joined, and another 1,000-yard season feels well within reach.
Bo Nix is in a different kind of conversation, depending on who you ask. Some see a top-10 quarterback.
Others view him as a solid passer who gets lifted by the talent around him. The truth may sit somewhere in the middle, but the results are hard to ignore.
In two NFL seasons, Denver has gone 24-10 in the regular season, and the Broncos would have reached the Super Bowl in 2025 if Nix had not broken his ankle. He has the arm talent to put the ball exactly where he wants it, and his mobility and sack avoidance add another layer to his game.
With Waddle now in the mix and more help arriving at running back and tight end, Nix has a real chance to put together the kind of season that gets him into his first Pro Bowl.
Ja'Quan McMillian is another name worth circling. Slot corners usually have a harder time getting noticed, but McMillian has found ways to make his presence felt.
For a useful comparison, Philadelphia’s Cooper DeJean was a first-team All-Pro at the slot corner spot last year. McMillian’s 2025 production was right there in the conversation, and in some areas it actually outpaced DeJean’s.
He had more interception return yards, sacks, tackles for loss, quarterback hits, and forced fumbles. What makes McMillian stand out is the timing of his big plays, and that showed up in moments like the playoff game against the Buffalo Bills.
Back with the Broncos and coming off a significant raise, he has every reason to keep producing and push toward a long-term deal.
Riley Moss also has a strong case. In 2025, he led the NFL with 19 passes defended, and he added an interception, one sack, and 80 total tackles.
Pro Football Reference says he allowed an 88.2 passer rating in coverage and gave up a 57.6 completion percentage on 118 targets. That same source also lists Moss as the most targeted player in the NFL last season, with Baltimore’s Nate Wiggins next at 112 targets.
The one blemish was the pass interference flags, though plenty of fans felt some of those calls were questionable. Even so, Moss is heading into a contract year, and the volume coming his way should give him plenty of chances to pile up numbers.
If he keeps playing tight coverage and adds more interceptions, a first Pro Bowl trip is absolutely in play.
In Other News...
Broncos Camp Battle Could Force Sean Payton Into A Tough Call
The Broncos head into 2026 training camp with a receiver room that already looks crowded, thanks to the addition of Jaylen Waddle and a group of returning targets from last season. Even before the first padded practice, the depth chart feels like one of the more interesting parts of Sean Paytons roster puzzle, especially with the teams history of making unexpected calls at wideout.
Dane Key has given that competition another layer after turning heads during OTAs, and his size and physical profile make him a name to watch once camp gets rolling. If he keeps stacking good days and shows he can help on special teams, he could push the Broncos into a difficult decision on how many receivers they want to carry when the roster starts to tighten. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Nix Keeps Saving The Broncos In The Worst Situations
Bo Nix spent his rookie season bailing the Broncos out of ugly down-and-distance spots, and the numbers backed up what the eye test suggested. He finished second in the NFL in first-down or touchdown conversions on third-and-long, a sign that Denver had a quarterback who could survive when the offense got behind the chains and still find a way to keep drives alive.
The Broncos spent the offseason trying to make those emergency snaps less common. Re-signing J.K. Dobbins and drafting Jonah Coleman were aimed at giving the run game more punch, while the addition of Jaylen Waddle gives the passing game another layer of speed and versatility. The bigger question now is whether all of that support lets Nix spend less time rescuing drives and more time running an offense that does not need rescuing in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
5 Young Broncos Enter Camp With Real Pressure To Deliver
Training camp opens July 28, and for a handful of young Broncos, it arrives with more than the usual summer optimism. Denver has several roster spots and rotational jobs that still feel very much up for grabs, and the teams needs at cornerback, safety, and along the defensive front give a few recent additions and second-year players a real chance to climb the depth chart if they can show they belong.
Jahdae Barron, RJ Harvey, JL Skinner Key, and Sai'vion Jones are all in that pressure zone where development has to turn into production, not just promise. Barron needs to push his defensive snap share, Harvey is positioned to take on a larger offensive role, Key has a path beyond special teams, and Jones could see more opportunities after the departure of John Franklin-Myers, but none of it matters unless they make the most of camp and force the staff to keep them on the field. [Read more 🡒]